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31_days2016-08-23 06:02 pm
insaneladybug.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2016-08-23 06:02 pm
[August 23rd] [The Wild Wild West] Sometimes It Was Nice
Title: Sometimes It Was Nice
Day/Theme: August 23rd - "...and we are in bed together, laughing, and we don't care about anything..."
Series: The Wild Wild West (specifically, The Poisonous Posey episode)
Character/Pairing: Snakes Tolliver/Chita McCarthy (she's an OC; he's in my icon)
Rating: K/G
Continued from prior pieces.
By Lucky_Ladybug
It was really hard for me to believe that everything about Chita was a lie. I still like to think that we did have fun times together and that she really enjoyed being with me sometimes, even if she wasn't actually in love with me. But then I remember that most of our happiest times involved money somehow, so I can't keep from wondering if what she was really excited about was only that.
One memory in particular stands out. It was shortly after we were married and we were just settling down to go to bed in the rickety house that the moth bothered us in. Suddenly an idea came to me and I sat up in bed, reaching for the notepad on the nightstand.
"Hey, what is it?" Chita mumbled.
"I just had a thought about how we could get the ball rolling on getting more money," I told her as I scribbled it out.
That woke her up immediately. "Yeah? What?"
I showed her what I was figuring out. "Real estate."
She gave me a blank look. "Selling houses?"
"Not exactly, but this makes perfect sense," I insisted. "The whole South is in a mess because of the War, right? A lot of people's houses and lives are broken down and they can't fix them because there's no money. A lot of them are really skilled at different jobs; they just can't find anything open."
"So you're gonna hire a bunch of broken-down farmers and hicks or something?" Chita asked, brushing a stray curl out of her face.
"There's lots of jobs and work to go around with what I'm planning," I said. "There'd be something that would fit everybody's skills. With the right people, we can go far, fast."
"Maybe they'd rather just have building stuff than money," Chita said.
"That's just it! I'd pay them a reduced rate in money and the rest would be paid in materials to fix up their houses," I said. "Or better yet, our companies would provide for better housing for all the employees. It would be a big incentive to come work for us."
Chita made a face. "It sounds more like we'd be losing money."
"It's a long-term investment," I replied. "We get good help, things'll expand a lot faster and better. Whatever we spend on the houses would be paid back with interest in no time."
"Well, you're the businessman," Chita said doubtfully. "If you really think it'll be worth it . . ."
"It definitely will be," I said firmly. "You'll see. Nobody else will be offering a deal anywhere as good. Not only will it get us good help, we'll get loyal help. They'll stick with us through whatever comes along. And the money will just come rolling in."
Chita giggled, starting to get excited now. "That's the best part!" she exclaimed, suddenly hugging me. "We are gonna be so rich!"
"And we'll get rich by helping make the South flourish again," I added. "We'll be doing a lot of good."
"Oh, you." Chita let go and bounced on the bed. "You're always thinking about other people and the bigger picture and that kind of thing. Me, I'm thinking all about us!" Probably all about herself, really, but back then I didn't question it.
"Sometimes the best way to help yourself is to make things look good for other people too," I said. "It's a win-win situation." I had to laugh too, when I saw the figures I'd scrawled out. "This is looking pretty good."
It's funny how I always kept to the same ideas business-wise, but for my own personal life, I got embittered and didn't trust people and felt that it was better to only look out for my own interests. I started feeling that way during the War, or at least, I told myself I did. Like I said, it hadn't really worked. It sure didn't where Chita was involved.
"Well, of course it's looking good!" Chita cried. "Money always looks good!"
"Especially when it's ours!" I added.
"That's the best kind!" Chita laughed.
Soon we were giddy and giggling and talking nonsense just like we did back on that first night. We were young and happy and just on the verge of making it big. We didn't get much sleep that night, but we didn't care. Things were really looking up.
Day/Theme: August 23rd - "...and we are in bed together, laughing, and we don't care about anything..."
Series: The Wild Wild West (specifically, The Poisonous Posey episode)
Character/Pairing: Snakes Tolliver/Chita McCarthy (she's an OC; he's in my icon)
Rating: K/G
Continued from prior pieces.
It was really hard for me to believe that everything about Chita was a lie. I still like to think that we did have fun times together and that she really enjoyed being with me sometimes, even if she wasn't actually in love with me. But then I remember that most of our happiest times involved money somehow, so I can't keep from wondering if what she was really excited about was only that.
One memory in particular stands out. It was shortly after we were married and we were just settling down to go to bed in the rickety house that the moth bothered us in. Suddenly an idea came to me and I sat up in bed, reaching for the notepad on the nightstand.
"Hey, what is it?" Chita mumbled.
"I just had a thought about how we could get the ball rolling on getting more money," I told her as I scribbled it out.
That woke her up immediately. "Yeah? What?"
I showed her what I was figuring out. "Real estate."
She gave me a blank look. "Selling houses?"
"Not exactly, but this makes perfect sense," I insisted. "The whole South is in a mess because of the War, right? A lot of people's houses and lives are broken down and they can't fix them because there's no money. A lot of them are really skilled at different jobs; they just can't find anything open."
"So you're gonna hire a bunch of broken-down farmers and hicks or something?" Chita asked, brushing a stray curl out of her face.
"There's lots of jobs and work to go around with what I'm planning," I said. "There'd be something that would fit everybody's skills. With the right people, we can go far, fast."
"Maybe they'd rather just have building stuff than money," Chita said.
"That's just it! I'd pay them a reduced rate in money and the rest would be paid in materials to fix up their houses," I said. "Or better yet, our companies would provide for better housing for all the employees. It would be a big incentive to come work for us."
Chita made a face. "It sounds more like we'd be losing money."
"It's a long-term investment," I replied. "We get good help, things'll expand a lot faster and better. Whatever we spend on the houses would be paid back with interest in no time."
"Well, you're the businessman," Chita said doubtfully. "If you really think it'll be worth it . . ."
"It definitely will be," I said firmly. "You'll see. Nobody else will be offering a deal anywhere as good. Not only will it get us good help, we'll get loyal help. They'll stick with us through whatever comes along. And the money will just come rolling in."
Chita giggled, starting to get excited now. "That's the best part!" she exclaimed, suddenly hugging me. "We are gonna be so rich!"
"And we'll get rich by helping make the South flourish again," I added. "We'll be doing a lot of good."
"Oh, you." Chita let go and bounced on the bed. "You're always thinking about other people and the bigger picture and that kind of thing. Me, I'm thinking all about us!" Probably all about herself, really, but back then I didn't question it.
"Sometimes the best way to help yourself is to make things look good for other people too," I said. "It's a win-win situation." I had to laugh too, when I saw the figures I'd scrawled out. "This is looking pretty good."
It's funny how I always kept to the same ideas business-wise, but for my own personal life, I got embittered and didn't trust people and felt that it was better to only look out for my own interests. I started feeling that way during the War, or at least, I told myself I did. Like I said, it hadn't really worked. It sure didn't where Chita was involved.
"Well, of course it's looking good!" Chita cried. "Money always looks good!"
"Especially when it's ours!" I added.
"That's the best kind!" Chita laughed.
Soon we were giddy and giggling and talking nonsense just like we did back on that first night. We were young and happy and just on the verge of making it big. We didn't get much sleep that night, but we didn't care. Things were really looking up.